It is truly Halloweekend over here. Friday night I left work early to get ready for a Roaring 20’s themed Murder Mystery Dinner party in a “Speakeasy” with lemony libations. The costumes were elaborate with fringe and feathers, and three courses were each paired with a cocktail from the era. It was a night straight out of my favorite book in high school, The Great Gatsby!

Three of us girls sat together in the decorated club with five large full tables plus 6 actors roaming around and setting the storyline in to motion. The performance took us back to prohibition times in a Speakeasy with a VIP poker game in the next room. The proprietor and his rival, plus a flapper girl and her husband as well as the hustling doorman were all alone in the VIP lounge when suddenly the rival died. Suspected poisoning. #whodunnit

I’ve watched CSI (Las Vegas of course. None of the spin-offs will compare) enough to overthink the details and clues. All of the actors started throwing out their alibi while we debated their motives and means.

“Mrs. Peacock….in the library….with the rope!” ;)

We began the night with a cocktail called “The French,” which was citrusy and sparkling in a chapagne flute. One of the actresses was served a drink and she abandoned it without a sip at our table, so I happily made sure it didn’t go to waste either ;) This was paired with a wedge salad, champagne-soaked melon balls, gorgonzola and candied walnuts with a champagne vinagrette while the flapper girls sang on stage.

The next course (in between scandelous murders and speculation) was a Steak l’ Orange, with seared sea scallops, amazing apple bacon risotto and honey glazed carrots. The cocktail for this course was a sidecar that was definitely strong enough to knock you sideways.

By the time we solved the case – a classic case of a love triangle and cyanide – we had our final course of mini lemon meringue and the least favorite cocktail. A “White Lady” which includes an egg white. Pass.

The entire week was one fall festivity after the next, because there were too many fun events going on that we couldn’t pass up!

Every month, our country club has a Ladies Night with different themes. This month was “Cocktails and Crafts” and if you don’t already know, I am Pinterest’s #1 fan. My friend Shelby and I and both of our mom’s got crafty with the help of pumpkin spice martini’s and caramel apple sangria. The craft of the night = autumn wreaths.

The event coordinator looked like she raided Hobby Lobby and had a table full of every leaf, ribbon, bow and bell you could imagine. I tried to control myself with the toppings so it didn’t look like I threw up a pumpkin spice latte all over the wreath but there were too many cute decorations to choose.

Can you handle anymore pictures of hues of orange and gold? I promise the autumn overload will end soon, but it will likely be replaced with scenes of cliche snowy shenanigans so I can’t promise it will be any better.

Brush’d Experience is a local painting class hosted at local restaurants and bars. Last week I won a giveaway on their Instagram and attended their October class for free! The class was held on Thursday evening in a cafe with serious mood lighting and fruity cocktails. My friend from work, Alissa, joined me to follow along the painting instructor for a canvas of a pumpkin patch.

Raspberry Lemonade Mimosas! (Yes this is the most alcohol I have ever consumed in a week, haha. If you’re new to the blog and wondering why I consider this a “health and fitness” theme – this is not my normal routine!)

I diverted from the instructions slightly because I wanted to recreate a photo I had taken myself a couple weeks ago at the corn maze. This was the inspiration for my painting:

We used acrylic primary colors and mixed our own shades. I won’t be hanging this anywhere permanently but it can sit on the kitchen counter for a week or so as a holiday decoration :) The funny thing is – this morning, Brush’d Experience hosted another giveaway for next months event and my mom won!

This must be a record for most pictures of pumpkins and alcoholic beverages in one post for my blog ever. Editing all of the photos has given me newfound motivation to get myself over to the gym right now. I think November will be a refreshing break from cocktails and pumpkin treats – since my 2012 “No Gain November” is still one of my most populat posts on Pinterest, I think I’ll do a little 2016 reboot next week. You in?

Off to trade in sangria for spin class. Martini’s for mat pilates. Sidecars for stair masters. Champagne for chin-ups. Too much? Okay, bye.

XO Kenz.